System and method for providing an augmented reality experience

Abstract

There is provided a system comprising a venue including a mapped physical space; a venue management system configured to control real events occurring within the venue; a transporter designed to transport at least one occupant through the mapped physical space along a known path, the transporter configured to move through the mapped physical space under the control of the venue management system; an augmented reality experience server including a virtual venue generator in communication with the venue management system, the virtual venue generator for producing a virtual venue having a virtual representation of the mapped physical space including virtual events and real events occurring within the venue; the augmented reality experience server configured to provide the at least one occupant of the transporter with an augmented sensory perspective including a selective combination of the real events occurring in the venue and the virtual events produced by the virtual venue generator.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for providing an augmented reality experience, the system comprising:
 a physical venue including a mapped physical space; 
 a physical venue management system configured to control real events occurring within the physical venue; 
 a first transporter designed to transport a first occupant through the mapped physical space along a known path, the first transporter configured to move through the mapped physical space under the control of the physical venue management system, the first transporter having a first display; 
 an augmented reality experience server including a virtual venue generator in communication with the physical venue management system, the virtual venue generator configured to produce a first virtual venue having a virtual representation of the mapped physical space, the virtual venue generator further configured to record virtual events occurring in the first virtual venue and monitor real events occurring within the physical venue, the augmented reality experience server configured to provide the first occupant of the first transporter with a first augmented sensory perspective on the first display using a selective combination of the real events occurring in the physical venue and the virtual events produced by the virtual venue generator. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a second transporter designed to transport a second occupant through the mapped physical space along the known path, the second transporter configured to move through the mapped physical space under the control of the physical venue management system, the second transporter having a second display; 
 wherein the augmented reality experience server is further configured to produce a second virtual venue having a virtual representation of the mapped physical space including virtual events and real events occurring within the physical venue, the augmented reality experience server configured to provide the second occupant of the first transporter with a second augmented sensory perspective on the second display using a selective combination of the real events occurring in the physical venue and the virtual events produced by the virtual venue generator; 
 wherein the first virtual venue is different than the second virtual venue, and the first augmented sensory perspective is different than the second augmented sensory perspective. 
 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2 , wherein the physical venue is a roller coaster ride, and wherein the first virtual venue is a space ride and the second virtual venue is an undersea ride. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first display is a head-up display (HUD). 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the physical venue management system includes a transporter location subsystem configured to determine the location of the first transporter in the mapped physical space. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 5 , wherein the first transporter location subsystem is configured to determine the location of the first transporter in the mapped physical space according to elapsed time from a start time when the first transporter begins to move along a predetermined path. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 5 , wherein the first transporter location subsystem is configured to determine the location of the first transporter in the mapped physical space according to data received from a plurality of sensors. 
     
     
       8. A method for providing an augmented reality experience in a physical venue including a mapped physical space, the method comprising:
 controlling progress of a first transporter through the mapped physical space, the first transporter configured to transport a first occupant through the mapped physical space along a known path; 
 generating a first virtual venue including a first virtual representation of the mapped physical space; 
 monitoring real events occurring in the physical venue; 
 recording virtual events occurring in the first virtual venue; 
 selectively combining the real events and the virtual events to generate a first augmented sensory perspective; and 
 displaying the first augmented sensory perspective on a first display of the first transporter. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8  further comprising:
 controlling progress of a second transporter through the mapped physical space, the second transporter configured to transport a second occupant through the mapped physical space along the known path; 
 generating a second virtual venue including a second virtual representation of the mapped physical space; 
 selectively combining the real events and the virtual events to generate a second augmented sensory perspective in the second virtual venue; and 
 displaying the second augmented sensory perspective on a second display of the second transporter; 
 wherein the first virtual venue is different than the second virtual venue, and the first augmented sensory perspective is different than the second augmented sensory perspective. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the venue is a roller coaster ride, and wherein the first virtual venue is a space ride and the second virtual venue is an undersea ride. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first display is a head-up display (HUD). 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the venue management system includes a transporter location subsystem configured to determine the location of the first transporter in the mapped physical space. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first transporter location subsystem is configured to determine the location of the first transporter in the mapped physical space according to elapsed time from a start time when the first transporter begins to move along a predetermined path. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first transporter location subsystem is configured to determine the location of the first transporter in the mapped physical space according to data received from a plurality of sensors. 
     
     
       15. A method for providing an augmented reality experience in a venue including a mapped physical space, the method comprising:
 controlling progress of a first transporter through the mapped physical space, the first transporter configured to transport a first occupant through the mapped physical space along a known path; 
 generating a first virtual venue including a first virtual representation of the mapped physical space; 
 monitoring real events occurring in the venue; 
 recording virtual events occurring in the first virtual venue; 
 selectively combining the real events and the virtual events to generate a first augmented sensory perspective; 
 displaying the first augmented sensory perspective on a first display of the first transporter; 
 controlling progress of a second transporter through the mapped physical space, the second transporter configured to transport a second occupant through the mapped physical space along the known path; 
 generating a second virtual venue including a second virtual representation of the mapped physical space; 
 selectively combining the real events and the virtual events to generate a second augmented sensory perspective in the second virtual venue; and 
 displaying the second augmented sensory perspective on a second display of the second transporter; 
 wherein the first virtual venue is different than the second virtual venue, and the first augmented sensory perspective is different than the second augmented sensory perspective. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the venue is a roller coaster ride, and wherein the first virtual venue is a space ride and the second virtual venue is an undersea ride. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first display is a head-up display (HUD). 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the venue management system includes a transporter location subsystem configured to determine the location of the first transporter in the mapped physical space. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first transporter location subsystem is configured to determine the location of the first transporter in the mapped physical space according to elapsed time from a start time when the first transporter begins to move along a predetermined path. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first transporter location subsystem is configured to determine the location of the first transporter in the mapped physical space according to data received from a plurality of sensors.